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Richard Hunt
Richard Hunt (August 16th, 1951 - January 7th, 1992) was an American puppeteer best known for his work with the Muppets, performing many memorable characters such as Scooter, Beaker, Statler, and Janice on The Muppet Show as well as Don Music, Gladys the Cow, Forgetful Jones, and Sully on Sesame Street and Junior Gorg on Fraggle Rock. Richard Hunt died of AIDS related complications on January 7,1992. His last performance was MuppetVision3*D. After Hunt's death Steve Whitmire took over Beaker as well as Jerry Nelson preforming Statler (until 2004 when Whitmire took over) in 2008 David Rudman took over the roles of Scooter and Janice. David also took over Richard's half of the Two-Headed Monster and Dip the Cat, and, for a little while, Sully and Sonny Friendly, keeping Richard's incredible legacy alive. Jon Stone, former director of Sesame Street, said this at the time of Hunt's death: "It’s impossible to imagine a world without Richard. He came to us a wide-eyed eighteen year old and grew into a master puppeteer and inspired teacher. No one ever had a more manic love of the outrageous and absurd; no one could ever make me laugh the way Richard could. A generation has grown up absorbing Richard’s art, and I have to believe that every one of them is a smarter, funnier, stronger, sillier, more generous person because of him." Your Face! Muppeteer Credits *''The Muppet Show'' Characters: African Mask (Mountain), Beaker (1977 - 1991), Behemoth (119), Billy the Bear (401), Bobby Benson, Blue Frackle (103, 115, 202, 218, 307), Bubba, Catgut, Clive Cahuenga, Contender 980116, Cows (121), Doctor Pig, Droop (220), George, Geri and the Atrics (False Teeth), Ghost, Gingerbread Man, Gladys, The Gogolala Jubilee Jugband (Purple Whatnot), Gorgon Heap (116), Hat, Janice (1977 - 1991), Lenny the Lizard (208), Lubbock Lou (occasional), Luncheon Counter Monster (223), Lyle the Dog (523), Male Ghost, The March Hare, Mean Mama (201, 211, & 515), Mildred Huxtetter (109), Miss Kitty (119), Miss Piggy (1976 - 1977, occasionally), Ohboy Bird, Paul Revere (legs only), Quongo (509), Ronald Duck, (220), Salzburg Sauerkraut Singer, Scooter (1976 - 1991), The Showman, Statler (1976 - 1991), Sweetums (1976 - 1992), Tiny, Wayne, Winny, Youknow Bird, (218), Zelda Rose (308) *''Sesame Street'' Characters: Aristotle, The Beetles' Lead Singer, Billy the Grownup, Brad, Captain Vegetable (1983 - 1984), Cheerful, Dip, Don Music, Elmo (1984 - 1985), Farmer Fowler, Fenwick la Touche, Flying Fish, Forgetful Jones (1981 - 1992), Frankie, Gilbert, Gladys the Cow, Grandpa Grouch, Green Alphabeat, Grenadier Guardsman, Harry, Harvey Monster (occasionally), John, Kermit the Forg ("We Are All Monsters"), King Gerry's Doctor, Leaky, Leo the Party Monster, a lettuce from "Grow High Grow Low", Lavender Librarian, Larry Rhymie, Little Red Riding Hood (1972), Madame Schwartzhead, Maurice Monster (occasional), Old McDougal, Mr. Moses, Mr. Snuffleupagus (back half, occasionally), Old King Cole's Band Green fiddler & Lavender drummer, Old MacDonald (1980s), a pear from "Bilingual Fruit Song", Placido Flamingo, Potter Piper, "Readers of the Open Range" nameless Pumpkin cowboy, Richard, Rockin' Richard, Rocky the Cat, Rodeo Rosie (occasional), Sonny Friendly (1987 - 1992), Spaceship Surprise Mate, Stan, Stuie Monster, Sully, Timmy Twiddlebug, Tommy, Tony, Tough Eddie (1980s), Two Headed Monster (right head; 1978 - 1992), Umeko's Friends, Victor, Willy Nilly, Witch, Yip Yip Martians, The Young Woman Who Lives in a Hat *''Fraggle Rock: Gunge, Junior Gorg, Beige Fraggle, Firechief Fraggle, Flex Doozer, Gillis Fraggle, Herkimer Fraggle, Genie, Mudwell the Mudbunny, The Odd Old Man, Storyteller Fraggle (episode 108 only), Turbo Doozer, Venerable Sage Lambo, Wizard *The Great Santa Claus Switch:'' Bing *''The Ed Sullivan Show: Blue Violinist *The Frog Prince: Taminella Grinderfall] (puppetry only) *The Muppets Valentine Show: Big Mouse *Saturday Night Live: Wisss *One to One: The Queen of Phumph *The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence: Crazy Harry, Hoggie Marsh, Lust, Ohboy Bird *Peter Alexander präsentiert Spezialitäten #10: Bert *Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas: Charlie Muskrat, George Rabbit, Fred Lizard *Little Muppet Monsters: Tug Monster, Beaker, "Muppet Sports Shorts" Narrator *The Muppet Movie: Scooter, Janice, Beaker, & Statler *The Great Muppet Caper: Scooter, Janice, Beaker, & Statler *The Muppets Take Manhattan: Scooter, Janice, Beaker, Statler Baby Scooter *Follow That Bird: Grouch Diner Patrons, Various, Gladys the Cow *The Tale of the Bunny Picnic: Lugsy *A Muppet Family Christmas: Scooter, Janice, Beaker, Statler, the Two-Headed Monster, Cow & The Snowman *The Christmas Toy: Belmont *Puppetman: Del Zivic (on-camera role), Gertha, Earl *Tube: Crasher *The Ghost of Faffner Hall: The Wild Impresario *Cosby Show: Disagreeable Sandwich *The Muppets at Walt Disney World: Scooter, Janice, Beaker, & Statler *The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson: Scooter & Janice *Billy Bunny's Animal Songs'': Edgar Bear, Raccoon 1 Sources External links *Your Face! *Muppet Central's Tribute to Richard *The MuppetCast tribute to Richard: a podcast interview with Richard's mother, Jane Hunt, Richard